Oftentimes, I'm guilty of allowing games that are released in collector's edition to eclipse the titles that don't boast all the bells and whistles of a CE. I see a collector's edition, and I'm immediately drawn to that download button without a second thought.
However, I've really tried to make an effort lately to focus on some of the games that are released without that prestigious title of "collector," and I have been pleasantly surprised with the results.
So, when I came upon the hidden object adventure game Origins: Elders of Time, created by Bloo Buzz, a developer most known for their time management games (Timebuilders series), I was intrigued enough to give it a go.
And again, I was delighted with my findings.
The Story of Origins: Elders of Time
While not the most earth-shattering or unique of tales, the story behind Origins is enough to pique my interests.
Two brothers, obsessed with locating a mysterious island disappear for months until one day, one of them, James, is found washed ashore. James tells a tragic tale of how his brother, William, was tragically lost at sea and how they never managed to locate the object of their obsession.
Flash forward about 20 years, and we join William's daughter, Lisa, at the funeral of her mother. Her mother left her a chest, which held the diary of her father and proof that the tale her Uncle James had told them all those years ago was a lie.
Determined to find the truth, Lisa begins her investigation, managing to locate the coordinates of the island moments before the manor she's living in is attacked. She quickly boards her uncle's airship and manages to escape into the night heading toward the island where she hopes to find the answers to what happened to her father all those years ago.
Overall, not a bad little yarn. It holds a great anticipation for adventure that's not unlike an Indiana Jones flick, featuring lost cities, mysterious powers, and hidden secrets.
The Graphics of Origins: Elders of Time
The look and feel of Origins gave off an old retro style that was pleasing to look at. It wasn't the realistic, awe-inspiring graphics you expect to find in a CE, but it was lovely to look at just the same.
Everything had a dark and gritty feel to it, and each scene seemed more like a still life painting, with great textures and rich shadows, than an actual life-like scene. In a way, it detracted from my overall ability to get swept up in the game, but I didn't resent that distance at all, as I could appreciate the artistry that went into creating each scene.
The Gameplay of Origins: Elders of Time
If you are familiar with hidden object adventure games, you'll have no problem jumping into this one and no need for the tutorial as Origins employs your classic zoom in, pick up, use item mechanics.
You have two modes to play in Regular and Expert and gameplay itself was smooth and easy to navigate, without any clunkiness or technical issues.
Hidden object scenes tended to be a bit dark for my liking and sometimes I had trouble spotting an object or two when the colors blended a bit too well in areas, but certainly not anything that hindered my gameplay. Actually, for the most part, the HOGs were fairly easy and the scenes were interesting to look at.
Mini-games were fairly simple to tackle, nothing unique or that you haven't encountered in similar games.
The Music, Sound & Voice Acting of Origins: Elders of Time
Much to my surprise, the voice acting was really well done considering the amount of lines the main character had. The acting employed good inflection and emotion that helped carry you further into the story. The script itself helped as it was well written and wasn't too awkward.
The music was pleasant and by that I mean it was non intrusive and appropriately tuned in to what was happening in the game. During tense moments, the music helped amplify the emotions and overall contributed to the gaming experience.
The sound effects were very well done, really bringing home that charged ambiance in places with well timed thunder crashes and crackling fires.
Overall Conclusion for Origins: Elders of Time
If you're searching for a deviation from the expensive collector's editions, and you're in the mood for a fun and entertaining adventure, Origins: Elders of Time is a great little gem worth downloading.
It boasts a suspenseful and entertaining story, great voice acting and sound, lovely graphics, and smooth gameplay.
While hidden object scenes were a tad too dark and the games somewhat lacking in challenge, it still didn't detract much from a great overall gaming experience.